Dear students,
The 64th Film Festival starts today and in the next working week, November 6-10, classes in our School are suspended and the educational process is transferred to the festival. These days give you the opportunity to multiply your perceived impressions, knowledge and experiences about cinema, meet filmmakers and attend masterclasses designed primarily for you, as part of the School’s ongoing collaboration with the festival.
The emphasis of the pedagogical programme carried out in cooperation between the two institutions this year is on screenwriting. So we suggest you not to miss some of the following events:
- Saturday 4 November – 10:30, Pavlos Zannas TheaterMasterclass by producer Jeremy Podeswa From Six Feet Under to the Top: Τhe Evolution of Contemporary Television
- Sunday 5 November – 10:30, Pavlos Zannas TheaterMasterclass by screenwriter Panayotis ChristopoulosMore is More: Building the Narrative World of a Series
- Monday 6 November – 10:30, Pavlos Zannas TheaterMasterclass by screenwriter-director Dora Masklavanou(introduced by Professor Panagiotis Iossifelis)Screenwriting: Unlimited Freedom, Unlimited Constraints
- Tuesday 7 November – 10:30, Pavlos Zannas TheaterMasterclass by writer Dimosthenis Papamarkos(introduced by Professor Panagiotis Iossifelis)Around the Fire, In Front of the Lights
- Wednesday 8 November – 10:30, Pavlos Zannas TheaterMasterclass by script consultant and story editor Ruth AtkinsonWriting from The Inside Out: Finding Your Voice
- Friday 10 November – 10:30, Screening Hall in StavroupoliOrganised by a students’ groupScreening of the award-winning film “Digger” by Georgis Grigorakis (director and screenwriter) and immediately afterwards (12:30) a discussion with him about the film’s screenplayDiggin’ the Digger
Those who attend events 2-5 (four masterclasses from Sunday to Wednesday) will receive a certificate of attendance from the festival.
The work of Nikos Perakis is of particular interest for the New Greek Cinema and especially for comedy with elements of social and political commentary. This is the subject of the colloquium organised by the School’s Laboratory for the Study of Greek Cinema & Television (LSGCT) with the support of the Festival.
- Thursday 9 November 09:45-15:00, Pavlos Zannas – Colloquium by LSGCTSuccess Story or Arpa Colla: Nikos Perakis’ GreeceSpeakers: Eleftheria Thanouli, Stathis Kalyvas, Panayis Panayiotopoulos, Betty Kaklamanidou, Anastasia Tintikaki, Vrasidas Karalis, Vassilis Vamvakas. The colloquium will conclude with a discussion with Nikos Perakis, moderated by Eleftheria Thanouli and Stathis Kalyvas.
Of special interest also for our community and not only, is the premiere of the film by Periklis Choursoglou, until recently professor of the School, entitled “The Promotion”. The film refers to his experience at the School, while several students and alumni participated in its production.
- Saturday 11 November 19:00, John CassavetesThe Promotion by Periklis Choursoglou
It is also worth watching on the big screen the award-winning short films from the recent 46th Drama Short Film Festival, which include films by recent and past graduates of the School George Georgakopoulos, Nikos Kolioukos, Lida Vartzioti, Dimitris Tsakaleas and Yorgos Iliopoulos.
Finally, the tribute to the director Takis Kanellopoulos (1933-1990), a rare case of a filmmaker who developed his work in this city, deserves a mention. In this context, his films are being re-screened and an original exhibition is being organised. If one had to pick one event of the tribute, I would suggest the film “Glory Sky” (1962), which deals with the 1940 war and is accompanied by a discussion with the famous historian Mark Mazower.
- Saturday 4 November 20:00, OlympionGlory Sky by Takis Kanellopoulos (1962)
These are just a few of the many experiences that this year’s festival can offer you. Study the programme carefully and make your own choices.
In the cosmopolitan atmosphere of these days, it is an opportunity to listen to other voices, beyond those of your teachers, to see films that reflect the trends of contemporary mainly independent production, as well as older films in the context of the special tributes. It is a week that is up to you to make the most of as an extremely fruitful and defining experience on the road to your personal artistic formation.
Have a great time!
A.K.